PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS MARCH 2021
Click on the PQ number below to skip to the Question & Reply below.
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the provision in place to track dogs that fail to produce a qualifying time and are therefore not presented for racing on the traceability system operated by Rásaíocht Con Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Brian Leddin.
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if only racing greyhounds with at least one race record in Ireland will be tracked by the new traceability system operated by Rásaíocht Con Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Brian Leddin.
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the amount per year Greyhound Racing Ireland has received in respect of rental income derived from allowing companies to take a fixing on telecoms and or communications masts located at their race stadiums over the past ten years to date.
Catherine Murphy.
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the reason Greyhound Racing Ireland lists a greyhound (details supplied) as rehomed when the dog was actually exported to China; and if he will investigate and take action against persons involved in the direct or indirect export of greyhounds to China. Details Supplied: (Leonas Skylark) (BACKGROUND INFORMATION Up until recently, Leonas Skylark was listed on the GRI website as being owned by a Peter Connolly (Galway). This has recently been changed on the GRI website to "REHOMED" - link
This despite the fact that this dog is in China - see details and photos at (link)
According to Caged Nationwide, "Leonas Skylark was sold to the Chinese breeding industry, specifically to the city of Jining in the Shandong province."
Leonas Skylark is currently listed on a Chinese greyhound database website (link)
Joan Collins
PQ No: 11254/21
Question:
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the provision in place to track dogs that fail to produce a qualifying time and are therefore not presented for racing on the traceability system operated by Rásaíocht Con Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Brian Leddin.
Answer:
Dear Deputy
The Rásaíocht Con Éireann Traceability System (RCETS) will provide traceability in respect of all racing greyhounds. Where a greyhound participates in a qualifying trial at any greyhound track it will form part of the Racing Management System and traceability will be required under RCETS irrespective of whether qualifying time is achieved or not.
PQ No: 11255/21
Question:
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if only racing greyhounds with at least one race record in Ireland will be tracked by the new traceability system operated by Rásaíocht Con Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Brian Leddin.
Answer:
Dear Deputy
I refer to my response to PQ 11254/21.
Where any greyhound participates in a trial or racing at any greyhound track, the racing greyhound will be subject to traceability under the Rásaíocht Con Éireann Traceability System (RCETS). The number of races, or time achieved, does not detract from the obligation for an owner or trainer to provide life event status updates to the Traceability System.
PQ No: 11628/21
Question:
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the amount per year Greyhound Racing Ireland has received in respect of rental income derived from allowing companies to take a fixing on telecoms and or communications masts located at their race stadiums over the past ten years to date.
Catherine Murphy.
Reply:
Dear Deputy
I refer to your PQ regarding rental income received by Rásaíocht Con Éireann in respect of telecommunications facilities hosted on its sites. The table below sets out income over a ten-year period, 2012 – 2021:
PQ No: 11254/21
Question:
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the reason Greyhound Racing Ireland lists a greyhound (details supplied) as rehomed when the dog was actually exported to China; and if he will investigate and take action against persons involved in the direct or indirect export of greyhounds to China. Details Supplied: (Leonas Skylark) (BACKGROUND INFORMATION Up until recently, Leonas Skylark was listed on the GRI website as being owned by a Peter Connolly (Galway). This has recently been changed on the GRI website to "REHOMED" - link
This despite the fact that this dog is in China - see details and photos at (link)
According to Caged Nationwide, "Leonas Skylark was sold to the Chinese breeding industry, specifically to the city of Jining in the Shandong province."
Leonas Skylark is currently listed on a Chinese greyhound database website (link)
Joan Collins
Reply:
The greyhound referenced in the Parliamentary Question was notified to Rásaíocht Con Éireann in 2017 as having been exported to China in the past. On investigation at that time it transpired that notification of this relocation to China was given to the Irish Coursing Club in November 2014.
The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the body authorised in statute for the registration of greyhound ownerships, transfers and are keepers of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book. In order for a greyhound to be eligible to race at a race track it is a requirement that the greyhound is duly registered with the ICC.
Information appearing on Rásaíocht Con Éireann’s website reflects data held by the ICC at a point in time. Direct data transfer is undertaken by the ICC to RCÉ on a very frequent basis.
The Welfare of Greyhounds Act, 2011, does not apply to persons outside the State who purchase greyhounds from Ireland. If breaches of Section 10 of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act, 2011, by the seller are identified by Rásaíocht Con Éireann and the offence was committed within the previous 12 months then Welfare Officers will issue a fixed payment notice. Information on the number of fixed payment notices issued over the last 5 years for breaches of Section 10 of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act, 2011, are available on www.grireland.ie/Resource/greyhound-welfare/welfare-inspections-fines/